'My dear young lady - Miss Brooke - Dorothea!'

Grayscale illustration of a young woman and old man in front of a fireplace. The old man sits in a chair holding a cane.

This illustration shows Mr. Casaubon formally proposing to Dorothea, precipitated by her great error of judgement. Dorothea has idealistically mistaken Casaubon's dry pedantry as profound wisdom, and in this moment, commits her life to him. "'My dear young lady--Miss Brooke--Dorothea!' he said, pressing her hand between his hands, 'this is a happiness greater than I had ever imagined to be in reserve for me. That I should ever meet with a mind and person so rich in the mingled graces which could render marriage desirable, was far indeed from my conception'" (Book 1, Chapter 5).

Brock, Charles E. (1870-1938)

George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org

1908

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Brock, Charles E. (1870-1938), 'My dear young lady - Miss Brooke - Dorothea!', George Eliot Illustrations Gallery, George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://www.georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/83533